Auxiliary spring attachment for motion-picture cameras



Oct. 14, 1952 J. J. GOLICK EI'AL AUXILIARY SPRING ATTACHMENT FOR MOTION-PICTURE CAMERAS 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 29, 1949 fi/erzfars jdsfi J dalzok. Robert M M W X /Z 019755;.

AUXILIARY SPRING ATTACHMENT FOR MOTION-PICTURE CAMERAS Filed July 29, 1949 Oct. 14, 1952 J. J. GOLICK ETAL 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 N 1777/62: 03 3 745406 Jalzck.

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Oct. 14, 1952 J. J. GOLICK ETAL 2,613,761

AUXILIARY SPRING ATTACHMENT FOR MOTION-PICTURE CAMERAS Filed July 29,1949 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Oct. 14, 1952 J. J. GOLICK ETAL 2,613,761

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Patented Oct. 14, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENTFOFFICE AUXILIARY SPRING ATTACHMENT FOR MOTION-PICTURE CAMERAS Joseph J. Golick and Robert L. Moore, Chicago, Ill., assignors to Revere Camera Company, Chi-i cago, 111., a corporation of Delaware Application July 29, 1949, Serial No. 107,416

neglects to wind the spring at the proper times,

with the result that the spring becomes exhausted during picture taking. When the spring thus runs down, camera action either slows down appreciably or stops entirely. In either case there is some film spoilage and, perhaps more impor- 1 Claims. (01. 185-40) tant, the user fails to get the particular scene he is then taking.

Accordingly, one object of the invention is to provide an auxiliary attachment that contains springs of suflicient energy capacity to drive a camera for the length of time necessary to permit exposure of an entire loading of film. The attachment thus eliminates the possibility that the camera driving energy will become exhausted.

during picture taking, providing, of course, that the springs of the attachment are fully wound at the start.

Another object is to provide an attachment of this character that can be afiixed to a camera in a facile manner. In brief the camera does not have to be modified in any respect to receive the attachment. Further, the attachment may be applied and removed at will so that the camera can be used either with or without the attachment.

Another object is to provide an attachment that is readily usable with all makes of amateur motion picture cameras now commercially available. This is made possible by designing the attachment in such a manner that only a simple base member has to be changed in order to adapt the attachment to various different cameras.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a simple universal joint for transmitting spring stored energy from the attachment to the power train of the camera. A universal joint connection is necessary because there is likely to be a moderate misalignment between the rotatable axis of the attachment and the input to the power train of the camera.

Still another object is to provide an automatically operating brake that functions when the attachment either is applied to or removed from the camera. remove the attachment from the camera, the springs in theattachment will not be completely run down. The automatically operating brake responds to a loosening of the bolt that secures the attachment to the camera, and thus, prior to separation of'the attachment from the camera,

the brake is applied to hold the springs against uncontrolled release. Conversely, when the attachment is aflixed to the camera, the same securing bolt releases the brake after the attach? ment is connected to the camera through the above mentioned universal joint.

Another object is to provide a control on the attachment that actuates the starting and stopping control of the'camera. I

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as the description proceeds, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein one form of the invention is shown. It

is to be understood that the description and drawings are illustrative only, andare not to be taken as limiting the invention except insofar as it is limited by the claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective viewofa camera and.

the attachment of the invention showing in ex-' ploded manner the operative relation between the two units; I

Fig. 2 is a sectional view through the attachment;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line 3-3 of Fig, 2

showing certain details of one form of universal joint;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on line 4-4'of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is an end elevational view of the attachment looking from the right of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a sectional View on line 66 of Fig. 2; Fig. 7 is a fragmentary top view of the attachment;

Fig. 8 is a bottom view of the base member showing certain details of one form of brake;

Fig. 9 is a sectional view on line 99 of Fig.8;

Figs. 10 and 11 show a modified form of universal joint and automatically operating brake that may be used in the attachment, Fig. 11 being a sectional view on line lI--H of Fig; 10.

Referring now to the drawings, and particul arly to Fig. l, a typical amateur motion picture camera is shown at I5. The camera is driven by a single, self-contained coil spring (not shown) that is manually wound by winding key I6. A control for starting and stopping camera operation during picture taking is shown at".

The auxiliary spring attachment of the inven- Normally, when it is desired to nected coil springs.

' .tion for this and other similar amateur motion at one end. The base member 22 has a seat 23 of suitable size and shape to receivea portion of the bottom of the particular camera with which seat 23 aswell as the other geometry of base provided for each particularmake of camera;

A bolt 24 extends through-base member 22, and

is received within the threadedtripodhole customarily provided in the bottom of camera i;

7 Bolt 24 is manually turned by knob 25-when at-j tachment 2b is either secured to or removed from the camera.

Fig. 2 is a sectional View through the attachs ment showing the assembled relationship of the various component parts. It also shows the manner. in which theattachment is connected toxcamera' l5. Knob 25 may have a threaded hole for engagement with a tripod 26.

- Asmentioned, attachment 20 has a housing 21. The right hand end of the housing has a closureZl, while the left hand end has a closure 28, the two closures being provided with central openings that contain bushings 29 and 30, respectively.

attachment 20 is used. The size and shape of l0 member 22 will vary depending upon the geometry of the camera. A special base member 7Z2 is Housing 2! contains a plurality of series con- Three springs, 32, 33 and 34, are shown in the illustrated form of the. invention. These springs are usually comparable in size, shape and energy capacity to the single, self-contained spring of camera l5.

Each, spring is coiled about an. individual hollow shaft or arbor, the arbors being indicated by 35, 3t and 37, respectively. The inner end of each spring is fixed to the respective arbor of that. spring. The, three arbors are coaxially aligned in end to end relation by means'of a floating shaft ill. The right hand arbor, namely arbor 31, has an extension that is journalled in bushing 2%. The left hand end of shaft 40 has an annular. member 41 that is journalled in bushing 30. Thus each spring arbor is capable of rotation independently of the other spring arbors. and. annular member 4! Each sprin has a cup shaped case, the cases being respectivelynumbered 45, 46 and 4?. The outer end'of each spring is fixed to its respective case. As best shown in Fig. 2, spring case t?" is'fixed at -43 to arbor 36 of the spring next i to the left. Fig. 6 shows that arbor 36 is flattened on opposite sides at this point. The central opening in case M is likewise shaped so that the case and arbor rotate as one. Similarly, case 45 is fixed at 58 to arbor 35. The left hand case, namely case '45, is fixed at 51 to annular memberei.

. Thus the three springs are inner-connected in series relationship, the energy from the springs being delivered by annular member 4|. A universal joint mechanism, to be described later,

transfers the spring stored energy from annular member 41 to winding key I6 of the camera.

Referring now to the right hand end of Fig.

2, Fig 4 and Fig. 5, the spring winding ar'rangement of the attachment will now be described. Thepreviously mentioned extension of arbor 37 carries an irregularly shaped end plate 54 that is rigidly fastened thereto by a bolt 55. A crank arm 55 is hinged atrfi'l to a peripheralpoint on 4 plate 54. Arm 56 is adapted to be pivoted outwardly from plate 55 to a limiting position normal to the axis of the attachment. The dotted lines show a position that arm 56 will go through in reaching the limit.

A crank handle shaft 58 is hinged at 59 to the free end of 34111156. Afingei grip knob 60 is rotatably mounted on shaftv 58. The shaft and knob fold outwardly to a limiting position as shown in the dotted lines to form a crank handle for convenience in operating the crank. The

' full lines in Fig. 2 show the manner in which the crank arrangement is folded within end plate I 54 when notin. use.

The extension of arbor 31 carries a ratchet 61 a, best shown in Fig. 4. A pair of escapement pawl devices 61b and Bio cooperate with ratchet GIa to permit rotation of arbor 3? only in the proper direction for spring winding, i. e. clockwise in Fig. 4. Reverse rotation is prevented by the ratchet andv the pawl devices. The pawl devices 5| b and file are suitably mounted on closure 27 by rivets Bid and (He, the closure having a moderate boss at each rivet.

Referring now to the left hand end of the attachment in Fig. 2 and Fig. 3, one form of universal joint that may be used in the attachment will now be described. Annular member 4! terminates in a threaded projection 62 (Fig. 2) A plate 53 is threaded on the projection in a rigid manner. Thus plate 53 rotates with annular member 41.

A pair of spaced, headed studs 64 and 65 are located on plate 63 at diametrically opposite points with respect to the circle of rotation described by plate 63. These studs pass through suitable apertures in an annular ring 61, the aperturesv being somewhat larger than the stud shanks so that annular ring 61 is freely tiltable with respect to plate 63. This annular ring forns an intermediate member in the universal oin Annular ring 67 has a protuberance or stud 68 located at a point remote from the ring center. This stud engagesedge 69 of semi-disk member 10 of winding key It and drives the key as ring 67 rotates.

A leaf spring 72, best shown in Fig. 3, has one end attached to plate 63. The other end is attached to annular ring 67 immediately behind stud 68. Spring 72 isv adapted to bias annular plate. 6! so that stud 68 is in an extreme left hand position (referred toF'ig. 2), the proper position for engagement with winding key I6.

As mentioned, there often is a moderate misalignment between the axis of the attachment (axis of annular member 4|) and the axis of winding. key [6. The above described universal joint functions to transmit rotary motion regardless of such misalignment. It is apparent that any misalignment is compensated for by the tilting action of annular ring Bl with respect to plate 53 and by the ability of stud 68 to slide radially along the edge 69 ,of semi-disk 70.

Furthermore, this type of universal joint includby base member The attachment housing 2! is rigidly connected to base member 22 by suitable means such as screws I5 (Fig. 8). The left hand mentioned seat 23 to' receive camera I5.

received within the threaded tripod hole I8 (Fig. -2)- of the camera bottom. As also previously mentioned, the size and shape of seat 23, as well as the location of the aperture for bolt 24, are

- governed by the particular camera with which base member 22 is to be used. In other words, there will be an individual base member designed for each of the various cameras to which the attachment is adapted.

Because of the fact that the attachment may sometimes be removed from its associated camera while there is still some energy stored in the attachment springs, it is desirable to provide an automatically operating brake so that the springs will not abruptly exhaust themselves when stud 68 is no longer in engagement with winding key I6. and 9, will now be described. Fig. 2 shows the brake in released position, while Fig. 9 shows the brake in applied position.

Referring first to Fig. 2, the active braking element is a friction member 80 that is adapted to bear against case 45 of spring 32, the last spring of the series of springs. As case 45 is rigidly connected to. annular member 4I, it will One form of brake, that shown in Figs. 2, 8"

it will rotate no farther due to engagement of I stud '60 with winding'keyedge 69.

Conversely, when the attachment is separated from the camera, the brake will be applied before bolt 24 can be removed from the camera, thereby making it impossible to disconnect the universal joint before the brake is set by spring 90.

Another form of automatically operating brake will be described later. I v v It will be noted in Fig. 2 that the camera starting and stopping control I1 is rendered more or less inaccessible when the attachment'is properly positioned with respect to camera I5. Accordingly, means are provided on the'attachment'for actuating camera control H." i i An elongated boss 93'is provided on the top of I the attachment. The right hand end of boss 93 (Figs. 2 and '6) is recessed as shown at 94. Also, a central opening is provided throughout the lengthofboss 93. v A shaft 95 extends through the central opening from one end of the boss to the other. At its left hand end (Fig. 2), shaft 95 is bent at right angles as shown at 96, the free'end of thebent portion terminating in operative relationwith camera control H. A plate 97 (Figs. 2, 6 and'7) is rigidly secured to shaft 95 within recess 94, the plate size being such'that it can be rotated within the recess an amount sufficient to bringtshaft portion 96 into and out of effective engagement with camera control I'I. As camera control I I be seen that the brake thus controls the energy output element of the attachment, i. e. member 4|.

Friction member 80 is carried at one end of a lever 82 (sometimes called a friction member carrier), the lever being slightly bent intermediate its ends to provide a pivot surface 83 that bears on the bottom of base member 22. The

other end of lever 82 has an aperture 84 through- The bolt" 88 and lever 82, as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 9. This spring exerts sufficient pressure against.

is normally spring biased to off position, it is usually not necessary to bias shaft 95 and plate 97, the bias of control I'I being suflicient to rotate shaft 95 away from camera operating position.

' As will be understood, in order to start camera operation, the user merely'depresse's the proper side of plate 91. This rotates shaft 95 and causes portion 90 to move camera control I! to operating position. The user keeps plate 91 depressed as long as camera operation is desired, after Which plate 91 is released so .that the bias of control I! can stop camera operation.

Referring now 'to Figs. 10 and forms of universal joint and automatically operating brake will now be described. Spring arlever 82 so that friction member 80 is able to hold I I spring case against rotation despite the energy stored in springs 32, 33 and 34. As seen in Fig 9,

spiral spring 90 iseifective to apply the brake when bolt 24 is not in engagement with tripod hole 16 of the camera. In this circumstance, the attachment has been physically separated from the camera.

The brake is so designed that engagement of the attachment with the camera must be sub stantially completed before the brake is released. To this end the shank of bolt 24 is sufliciently long to be substantially threaded into tripod hole I6 of the camera before flange 8 5 exerts pressure on lever 82. After flange 85 engages the lever;

further turning of knob 25 causes lever 82 to pivot about 83 with the result that spring 90 is'compressed and friction member is separated from case 45, thus releasing the brake. Release of the brake at this point, however, is not objectionable because stud 68 of the universal joint is then already in position to engage the winding key.

It might be that annular ring 61 will rotate a bors I00, IOI and I02 (Fig. 10) are provided with enlarged central openings. The central opening in arbor I02 may be reduced at its right hand 'end'as shown at I03.

A shaft I05, hollow in part, is received within the arbor openings. Case I06 of the left hand spring is fixed at I01 near the left end of shaft I05. Thus energy from all the springs is coupled to shaft I05, the shaft in this respect correspond ing with annular member 4 I, previously described.

The hollow opening in shaft I05 terminates in a reduced portion I09 that is non-circular iri'cross' section, for example square. Received within the hollow opening of shaft I05 is a shaft IIO that has an end portion III corresponding generally in section with the shape of non-circular hollow portion I09. Thus end portion III of shaft IIO may be square in section, but its dimensions should be slightly smaller than the dimensions of hollow portion I09 so that shaft I I0 is free to wobble with respect to shaft I05. However, the respective dimensions should be close enough so that a driving relationship is established.

A spiral spring II3 may be provided to urge shaft I I0 to the left.

The left hand end of shaft IIO, which is likewise non-circular in cross section, loosely receives a hollow sleeve I I5. The opening in this sleeve, while larger than the'end of shaft IIO, has the 11, modified same non-circular shape, so that a wobble drive relationship is established. The exterior of sleeve H is threaded to receive a camera winding key engaging member I I6g. Since various cameras have differently shaped winding keys, a. special keywengagingmember H6 is provided depending upon the, particular camera with which the attachment isto be used. The illustrated member H6 is designed to engage the winding key I6 of the camera illustrated in Fig. 1.

Sleeve H5 has; an annular flange] I8 that together with member I I6 defines an annular channel. A bracket] has an enlarged central opening I2I through which passes a portion of member I I6. The central Opening I2I of bracket I20 is sufificientlysmall sothat the bracket functions as va'keeper forthe'iassembly consisting of sleeve H5 with its; annular flange I I 8 and key engaging member II6. Opening I2I, however, is sulficiently large to permit eccentric rotation of member H6. a As will be understood, the various wobble drive connections provide. a universal joint between shaft I05 (the driving element) and member H6 and its associated winding key (the driven elements). As mentioned, member I I6 is readily interchangeable, with other members II6 so that the attachment can easily be adapted to any particularmake of camera. I

- The modified automatically operating brake illustratedv in Figs. 10 and 11 is of the pawl and ratchet type. near the left hand end of shaft I05. A pawl I26 is pivoted at I21 in operative relation to ratchet I25. ratchet engaging position. The spring I28 is omittedin Fig. 10, for clarity.

Pawl I26 is actuated by a link I30 connected to one end of a lever I 3| (Fig. 10). The lever is bent intermediate its ends to provide a pivot surface, and it has an aperture in the regionrof the bend. The aperture receives a reduced diameter, headed bolt I32 that is threaded into the bottom, of base member I33. The base member I33 corresponds generally with the base member 22;:previously described.

' A second aperture is provided in lever I3l near the end opposite to that connected to linkv I30. This second aperture is generally aligned with an aperture in base member I33. A- threaded bolt I35 having a knob I36 passes through the last'mentioned two apertures and is adapted to beareceived within the threaded tripod hole .in the. bottom of camera I5." Insertion and-withdrawal of bolt I35 causes coact-ion between knob I36-Jand lever I3I. The lever thus rocks about its bend, and this motion is transmitted through link I30 to pawl I26.

When the attachment is separate from the camera, bias spring I28 maintains pawl and ratchet engagement, thus preventing escape of spring stored energy. When the attachment is connected to the camera through the universal joint, and bolt I35 is partially received within the tripod hole, continued threading of the bolt rocks lever I 3| at the bend to release pawl I 26 from the ratchet. Escapeof spring energy'is' then limited by the universal joint connection.

It will be understood that the series connected springs of the attachment are, through the universal joint, connected in series with the single, self-contained spring of the camera. Thus, if the attachment contains three'springs, the amount of energy available for driving the camera is that of" four springs. Ithas been found that the A ratchet I25 is rigidly mounted A spring I28. .(Fig. 11) biases pawl I26 to energy of four fully ,wound springs is sufficient to drive a camera for the proper length of time to expose all the film contained in a single loading. Consequently, if the springs are properly wound at the, outset, there is no danger that-thethe art. Various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spiritor losing the advantages of the invention.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: I a

.1. An auxiliary spring attachment for a motion picture camera comprising a housing, a plurality of series connected coil springs within said housing, means for. winding said springs, a uni-- versal joint for transferring energy from said springsto the winding key of said camera, said universal joint includinga shaft rotatable by said springs, a plate fixed to said shaft, a pair of spaced studs on said plate, an annular ring carried by said studs in tiltable relation with said plate and a key engaging stud on said ring, a base member extending from said housing, a bolt through said base member for engagement with the'threaded tripod hole of said camera, and a brake cooperating with said bolt,-said brake being operative to prevent release of spring energy except when the attachment is mounted on said camera. a

' 2. An auxiliary spring attachment for a motion picture camera having awinding key, said attachment comprising a housing,- spring means Within said housing, a manually operated member for Winding said spring means, means for transferring energy from said'spring means to the windingkey of said camera, a brake to prevent escape of spring stored energy except when the attachment is secured to a camera, and means for securing the attachment to a camera, said means cooperating to release said brake when the attachment is secured to a camera.

3. A safety brake for an auxiliary spring attachment for a motion picture camera, said attachment having a series of inter-connected coil springs each enclosed in a case which is driven by its respective spring, said brake comprising a friction member adapted to engage and fix against rotation the case of the last spring of the series, a lever pivoted intermediate its ends,

said-friction member being mounted at one of the lever ends, a relatively stiff spring cooperating with'said lever to urge said friction member into braking contact with said case, the other lever end being engaged by. a. bolt that secures the attachment to a camera whereby boltaction overcomes said spring and releases said brake when the attachment is affixed to a camera.

.4. A safety brake for an auxiliary spring attachment for a motion picture camera, said attachment having a series of inter-connected coil springs each enclosed in a case which is driven I by its respective spring, said brakecomprising a friction member adapted to engage and fix against rotation the case of the last spring of the series, a friction member carrier that is movable toward and away from said last spring case, said carrier being spring biased whereby said friction member is urged into braking relation with said case, and means forreleasing said ing bolt to disengage said brake element when said bolt is tightened to attachment securing position.

6. In an auxiliary spring attachment adapted to be secured to a spring driven motion picture camera by a bolt threaded into the tripod hole I 7. An auxiliary spring attachment for an amateur type motion picture camera that has a selfand a spring winding key; said spring attachment comprising a housing, a plurality of axially contained spring motor, a start-stop control,

aligned coil springs within said housing, the springs being series connected, means for winding said springs, a universal joint connecting one of said springs with the winding key of a camera, a base member extending from said housing, means on said base member for removably connecting said attachment to a camera, a brake means for said springs, and a brake means actuating lever in said base member, said lever being movable to release said brake means when said attachment is connected to a camera. JOSEPH J. GOLICK. ROBERT L. MOORE.

REFERENCES CITED The followingreferences are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,039,937 Hardin Oct. 1, 1912 1,125,860 McGee Jan. 19, 1915 1,159,777 Kerr Nov. 9, 1915 1,196,265 Murray et al. Aug. 29, 1916 1,262,284 Teague Ap-r. 9, 1918 1,278,688 v LaRoche" Sept. 10, 1918 1,404,693' I-Iarshberger Jan. 24, 1922 1,407,357 Tartara Feb. 21, 1922 1,491,077 Beerworth Apr..22, 1924 1,514,795 Seymour Nov. 11, 1924 1,600,305 Ahalt Sept. 21, 1926 2,141,960 Stechbart et al Dec. 27, 1938 2,292,533 Maltman Aug. 11, 1942 

